Four in Pa. Charged in Nationwide 'Grandparent Scam'

By Kara Seymour

A Montgomery County woman and two Philadelphia men have been charged after a nine-month grand jury investigation revealed they were allegedly targeting elderly victims in a “Grandparent Scam.”

A New York resident was also charged in connection with the scam that involved the theft of at least $162,600 from 11 elderly victims throughout the country, including one victim in Texas who lost $64,900.

Spencer Compas, 29, of Philadelphia, Witson Lavilette, 38, of Philadelphia, Johanne Wesh, 37, of Abington and Kens Wesh, 38, of Brooklyn, N.Y. each face two counts of corrupt organizations and one count each of criminal conspiracy, identity theft and theft by deception for their alleged role in the scheme.

The “Grandparent Scam” is one of the more common scams targeted at the elderly, according to Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane. It involves scammers telling victims they are in some way associated with their grandchildren, who need monetary assistance for various made-up situations.

Authorities said the investigation began after a 77-year-old man from California said he was scammed out of thousands of dollars. He said a caller claimed to be an attorney for his grandson, who supposedly was arrested for a DUI in Philadelphia. The caller said the money was for bail and attorney’s fees, according to information from the Attorney General’s office.

The full scope of their scheme is still unknown and the investigation is ongoing, the Attorney General’s office said in a statement.

Compas, Lavilette and Johanne Wesh were taken into custody Wednesday and are each being held on $1 million bail. They are all scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Thursday.

An arrest warrant is still active for Kens Wesh, who is believed to be in New York City.

“This swindle creates false fears among our senior citizens that their loved ones are in some kind of serious trouble and urgently need their help,” Attorney General Kane said. “Fortunately, these four won’t be stealing from anyone for a long time to come. But they are not the only ones out there preying on people’s fears, and their scam underscores the need for vigilance.”

The Office of Attorney General is seeking other victims and believes there could be many more across the country.

Anyone who thinks they were scammed by these individuals after sending (or being asked to send) money to an address in Philadelphia, Abington (Montgomery County) or Bronx, New York, should contact the Office of Attorney General’s Organized Crime Section in Norristown at 610-631-5937.